Away
5
January 30, 2000

Advanced Platform Flight.

The purpose of
the Away 5 flight was to test the Advanced Platform
structure. With this structure we can launch larger
rockets. The Away 5 is also our first step toward
the Stratostation.
The system carried and full command/control
telemetry system. The Comet autonomous backup
system, a live video downlink,
three locator beacons, flashers and a duel cold gas deployed parachute
system.

Images can be
clicked on to see a larger image.
photos by
Jennifer Kirkpatrick

There
are two release mechanisms for each balloon. The primary
release is controlled by the ground. The backup release is
autonomous. It takes over and brings the platform home should
communications be lost.

One of
the benefits of the Advanced platform system is the ease of
launch. With our traditional long bridle system the launch is
the most difficult part of the operation. With the Advanced
Platform it's a piece of cake.

The Away
5 landed four miles downrange in a ice and snow covered
lakebed. This lake bed is northwest of Black Rock.
In this picture you can see people and a jeep (very small) at the
touchdown point.

At 15,000 feet the command was
sent to release six of the nine
balloons. The aim was to allow the remaining three balloons
to carry the platform
down to a soft landing (Mars look out). We got excellent live
video from the
platform of the balloons releasing. The Away 5 descended flat
and stable down to
three thousand feet. At this point one of the balloon tore
in half. The
platform tipped 90 degrees. As a precaution we deployed the
two backup
parachutes. The Away 5 landed hard and it sat inverted on the
snow. However
the frame remained fairly intact. The instrumentation unit
broke free on landing and
much of foam core structure was crunched. It foam core did it
job and all of the
systems were intact.